


Black Butterfly

by MsThunderFrost



Series: Achilles, the Relationship Counselor [3]
Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Achilles has Chronic Pain, Achilles is Permanently Disabled, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Car Sex, Clothed Sex, Established Relationship, Exhibitionism, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mental Health Issues, Public Sex, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:35:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28423281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsThunderFrost/pseuds/MsThunderFrost
Summary: “Do you think that he’ll like it?” Achilles’ eye twitches. He thinks that they’re not going to have any clean towels tomorrow if Zagreus keeps worrying about that blasted ring instead of watching where he’s—Have you ever heard the sound of one-hundred fifty pounds of muscle colliding with the concrete?Because Achilles has—nine times this afternoon, as a matter of fact.--Achilles is roped into helping a nervous Zagreus prepare to propose to his boyfriend, Thanatos. Set in the same 'verse as 'Achilles, the Relationship Counselor'.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Series: Achilles, the Relationship Counselor [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2074767
Comments: 11
Kudos: 185





	Black Butterfly

**Author's Note:**

> So, I know that 'A Hades Christmas Carol' and 'Achilles, the Relationship Counselor' have both been a bit heavy as of late, so I offer you this humble, fluffy fic, filled with humor, softness, and sex, to help ease the ache of the angst.

“Do you think that he’ll like it?” Achilles’ eye twitches. _He_ thinks that they’re not going to have any clean towels tomorrow if Zagreus keeps worrying about that blasted ring instead of watching where he’s—

Have you ever heard the sound of one-hundred fifty pounds of muscle colliding with the concrete?

Because Achilles has—nine times this afternoon, as a matter of fact.

“Are you alright, lad?” He’s thankful that the boy is practically indestructible. He bounces back like a freaking _ball_ , rubbing at his chin where it’d collided with the floor. Another inch or so to the left and he would’ve landed on the foam mat, at least…

“I’m fine! Fine!” And even if he _isn’t_ , he’s much too embarrassed to admit it. “I’m sorry, sir. I really am a disaster today, aren’t I?” He chuckles, a bit of color dusting his pale cheeks—it’s nothing compared to the bruise forming on his chin.

Achilles nods, “Yes, but you’re _my_ disaster.” He considers the mess of towels on the floor, “At this rate, it might be faster if I head to Walmart and _buy_ new towels for tomorrow.”

Zagreus’ eyes widen, “No! I can… I can handle this.” He slowly starts to gather up the towels, “But, I still… He’ll like it, won’t he? Maybe I should’ve gone with a simpler design…”

“Yes, he will like it.” There is not a hint of doubt in his voice as he continues, “He’d like it if you proposed to him with a piece of _string_. This is _much more_ extravagant, and about a thousand times more beautiful—and it matches the aesthetic of the jewelry he already wears.”

“You noticed that?” He smiles, “I was _really_ pleased with my great aunt Theia’s handiwork. It looks like an antique!”

He’d shown the ring to Achilles, after Theia had finished crafting it. And while it may not have been to Achilles’ taste, he could admire the tremendous skill that had gone into its creation—and marvel at the way the black diamonds refracted the sunlight into a rainbow of color. To think, that Theia had done all of that by hand…

Perhaps more impressive than the ring itself, is the thought that Zagreus had placed in every aspect of it’s design. Thanatos had an affinity for butterflies, and _black_ butterflies, in particular, were thought to be a harbinger of death. And, since Thanatos and death seemed to be so inextricably linked…

The ring is 14 karat gold, treated to look like brass, in an effort to match the rest of the jewelry in Thanatos’ collection. There are approximately two dozen quarter-karat chips of black diamonds set in the shape of a butterfly, accented by two half-karat chips of red amethyst. According to Zagreus, black diamonds symbolize transcendence, passion, and attractiveness. Red amethysts, on the other hand, symbolize prosperity and wealth and calmness of the mind. Maybe Achilles needs to get his hands on some of that red amethyst…

Achilles is pulled from his thoughts by a resounding _thwap_ —he looks up just in time to see one of the towels Zagreus had been transporting _back_ downstairs tumble across the floor like a tumbleweed. He’s about to ask if the lad is okay, when he bounces back up, cursing underneath his breath as he gathers up the towels _again_. He knows that the lad’s sudden bout of clumsiness is a result of nerves, even if he doesn’t understand _what_ the lad has to be nervous about. If anything, he should worry about Thanatos beating him to the punch…

Actually, come to think of it…

“Zagreus… just leave the towels. It’s not the end of the world if some of them aren’t done tonight.” And, really, the lad can only fall so many times before he injures something important. “When did you say that you were planning to propose, again?”

“Tonight.” Zagreus says, “I booked a reservation at his favorite Greek restaurant for seven o’clock tonight.” He drops the rest of the towels with a huff, “I just… what if he says no?”

“I will never understand how you can be so _brilliant_ and so _stupid_ all at once.” Achilles considers the pile of soiled towels, drumming his fingers on the desk. “He won’t say no.”

Zagreus pouts, “But if he does…?”

“ _Lad_.” Achilles has _no_ doubt that Thanatos will say ‘yes’. And, if he doesn’t, he’ll hunt him down and skin him alive. Who _wouldn’t_ want to marry a catch like Zagreus? Sure, he was a bit of a diamond in the rough, but Achilles had been helping him to buff out some of the scratches…

“You sound like Nyx.” He chuckles, “I went to her last week, to ask for her blessing. She told me that it was ‘about time’, since we’re practically married already. I don’t know about that, but—”

Achilles rolls his eyes, “I believe Nyx was quite gentle in her wording. You two _are_ painfully domestic, indeed.”

“Domestic?” Now, he looks confused.

“Mhmm. _Domestic_.” Achilles leans back in his chair, “Take the other day, for example. You took a half-day so that the two of you could go down to Bloomingdales and buy sheets for your new bed.” He says. “You even had an entire debate about which was the best thread count to buy…”

It’d been cute, to see them excited over something as mundane as new sheets. He remembers when he and Patroclus had been excited over the same thing. It’s nice, to see a little bit of himself in the lad. It makes him feel a little younger than his thirty-seven years.

Achilles has enjoyed watching their relationship blossom over the last several months. While Zagreus seems to attribute their closeness to Achilles’ careful tutelage, Achilles believes that it has far more to do with how Zagreus had attended him after his injury. After all, it _was_ thanks to Zagreus’ diligent care—and the extra hours he picked up at the gym—that Thanatos was able to make a full recovery, without having to worry about money. He’d proven himself to be a dependable partner, who adored Thanatos above all else…

Except, perhaps, for his new, adopted family.

Achilles’ looks at the clock, “Much as I’m enjoying our little conversation… I would suggest getting a move on, if you want to make it to the restaurant on time.”

Zagreus’ eyes widen, “Shit! I—I mean, _dang_!” He slaps a hand over his mouth, eyes widening. Achilles snorts—this is definitely not the first time that Zagreus has cursed in his presence. “I… Is it really that late already? And I haven’t even finished half of the closing checklist—”

“It’s _fine_ , lad.” Achilles says emphatically. “Do you have a change of clothes with you?” A nod, “Why don’t you take a shower and change? That’ll save you some time.”

“Yes! That’s a perfect idea!” In his excitement, the lad proceeds to trip over the mess of towels and faceplant, _again_.

Oh boy.

* * *

It occurs to him, belatedly, that Zagreus might not know how to tie a tie.

So, when Zagreus emerges from the locker rooms, a little blue in the cheeks, he’s not surprised to see the tie twisted into what looks like a sloppy little bow. Laughing, he waves the boy over, before he passes out and hits the concrete, _again_. Untwisting the tie, he waits for Zagreus to catch his breath before demonstrating how to tie it properly.

“Do you have the ring?” He asks. Zagreus nods, feeling around in his pocket for the box. His eyes widen when he does not immediately find it, “Check the other pocket, lad.”

A moment later, he has the box in his hand. “So… this is really it, then…”

“It is.” And then, “And here comes the man of the hour…”

This has to be the first time that Achilles has seen Thanatos without his scrubs. The lad cleans up well. He’s wearing a plum-colored turtleneck, with the sleeves rolled back to show off an ornate, brass bracelet. The turtleneck is tucked into a pair of off-white colored slacks, accented by a dark brown, leather belt. His nails are freshly lacquered, and sporting an extra layer of silver glitter polish, courtesy of Pyrrhus. His hair is down for once, having grown a bit longer since the first time they’d seen each other—now it dusts his shoulders, just long enough to braid.

“Hide the ring, lad.” He whispers underneath his breath. Zagreus almost drops the box in his haste to hide the ring from Thanatos. “It’s nice to see you again, Thanatos. It’s been awhile.”

“Mr. Pelides.” Thanatos nods. “You look… really nice, Zagreus. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen you wear a tie before. Actually, I didn’t think that you _owned_ a tie.” His amber eyes drag over Zagreus’ body, appreciatively. “You’re making me feel a little underdressed.”

Zagreus shakes his head, “You look absolutely stunning, Than.” His immediate comeback causes Thanatos to splutter and blush bright red, “I always loved you with long hair…”

Thanatos huffs, “You’re lucky that I didn’t legitimately break-up with you when you told me I looked better with long hair.” And, in retrospect, he definitely could’ve worded that better.

“I mean, you look beautiful, regardless. But this… holy shit, Than… you’re breathtaking.” He whispers.

“O-Oh…” Thanatos looks like he doesn’t know what to say to that.

Achilles nudges Zagreus on the arm, “Close your mouth, Zagreus. You’re starting to drool.”

Zagreus snaps his mouth closed with an audible _click_. Thanatos chuckles softly, his blush deepening as he watches Zagreus attempt to collect himself. God, but these two are cute together. He’s already excited for the wedding. If it’s anything like Hermes and Charon’s, it will be absolutely _gorgeous_ … until a drunken relative (not naming names— _Eris_ ) somehow managed to light the rose petals scattered over the aisle on fire. He didn’t think that he’d ever seen Dionysus move so fast in his life…

Though, something tells him that Thanatos would prefer a small, close-knit affair. There had been so many people at Hermes and Charon’s wedding, there was no way that either groom knew every last guest intimately. Meanwhile, it’d taken Thanatos _months_ to feel comfortable enough with Achilles to have a _real_ conversation with him.

It’s not like he doesn’t understand. He’s not the most outgoing, himself. He used to be, before… but now, it takes quite a bit to bring him out of his shell. He’s thankful that Zagreus continued to poke and prod at him until he eventually came around. His life isn’t perfect—there is no magical fix for his disability, or for his depression…

But… he feels better about who he is, and where he is in his life, now. And he has Zagreus to thank for that.

And he wants to repay him, even if it is just in this one, small way.

“You two have fun tonight, alright?” He smiles at both of them. Zagreus reaches out to take Thanatos’ hand with one trembling hand. Thanatos raises an eyebrow as he threads their fingers together, “Remember—fear is for the weak.”

Zagreus inhales shakily, “Fear is for the weak.” He repeats.

Thanatos squeezes Zagreus’ hand, before leading him toward the door. “Come on, Zag. If you keep dawdling, we’ll lose our reservation at the restaurant.”

* * *

They make it all the way to the car, before Thanatos finally calls him out. “What’s the matter, Zag? You’re stiff as a board, and you’re acting all weird.”

Zagreus forces a smile. “I’m just… a little nervous, that’s all.” He tries to laugh, but it comes out more like a breathy wheeze. Thanatos’ concern is now palpable.

“Nervous?” He repeats, “We’re just going to dinner. It’s not like you’ve never been to a restaurant before.”

“It’s not… _going_ to the restaurant that’s worrying me. It’s what’s going to happen while we’re there.” He fumbles with the ring box in his pocket while Thanatos attempts to parse out what he means. And that is when a thought occurs to him—there is a _glaring_ hole in his plan, one that he cannot believe that he didn’t think of sooner.

If Thanatos becomes overwhelmed by the proposal at the restaurant, he’s likely to flee and… well…

That will be the end of that.

Suddenly, he takes Thanatos’ hand and squeezes it tight. “Hey, Than? Can I… ask you something, before we go?”

“Hmm?” Thanatos tilts his head to the side, curious. And then his eyes widen when Zagreus drops to his knees, right there in the middle of the parking lot. “Zag, what’re you doing? You’re going to ruin your only good pair of dress slacks…”

 _That_ gets Zagreus to crack a genuine smile. “Than, I… I had this whole beautiful night planned out. I agonized over what I would say to you for weeks. I spent _months_ saving up for the perfect ring. And then I realized, just now… that maybe that’s not the kind of proposal that _you_ want…’

“This past year and a half has been the best of my life so far. You’ve helped me to grow so much as a person. You kept me alive, with a roof over my head and food in my stomach and… I owe you _so much_ , Than. I could never hope to deserve you, but if I aspire to become half the man that you are… maybe one day I might.’

“I know this ring isn’t much, but every last piece of it reminds me of you… and if you would do me the honor of becoming my husband, I promise to spend the rest of my days loving you like you deserve to be loved.” He takes a deep breath, “Thanatos… will you marry me?”

There is a long, tense moment of silence, before Thanatos holds out his hand. “Well? Aren’t you going to put the ring on my finger?” Zagreus’ mismatched eyes widen as he hurries to do just that. Then, “Yes, Zag. I’ll marry you.”

Thanatos’ amber eyes are practically glistening as he moves his finger back and forth, mesmerized by the way that the light dances in the little black diamonds. And while Zagreus is _thrilled_ that Thanatos is as enchanted by the ring’s beauty as Zagreus is with the ring’s intended…

Zagreus’ mismatched eyes focus in on a smear of red on Thanatos’ swollen bottom lip, where his teeth had sunk deep into the flesh during the impromptu proposal. He reaches out to ghost the calloused pad of his thumb over the sensitive skin. Thanatos shudders, his molten amber eyes slowly focusing in on Zagreus’ own… It takes only a moment for his resolve to shatter and the distance between them to melt away. He tastes the sharp, copper tang of blood upon his tongue as he sweeps the muscle over Thanatos’ lip, tasting berry chapstick and the remnants of mint toothpaste as he seeks entry into Thanatos’ mouth. Thanatos stumbles a little, surprised by Zagreus’ forcefulness. It’s not until he finds himself on his back that Thanatos realizes they’ve moved to the backseat of the car.

“W-What about the reservation?” He asks, when Zagreus offers him a moment’s reprieve to suck in a few desperate mouthfuls of air. They’re already late, but there’s a chance they’ll still be holding the table—

“Screw the reservation.” Zagreus replies, breathless. “I mean… yes, I did have this whole elaborate thing planned out, but… then I realized, you’d love _any_ proposal, so long as it came from me.” He flashes a dauntless smile, “Besides, you’d never forgive me if the whole restaurant broke out in applause once you said yes.”

Thanatos scrunches up his face in displeasure, “I’d probably say no, on principal.”

Zagreus nods. He’d come to a similar conclusion himself. But then, “But, in private, after the fact… you would’ve said yes, right?” Thanatos makes a show of considering, as Zagreus ambles up onto his lap.

“Are we really about to have sex in the middle of the strip mall parking lot?” That doesn’t answer his question.

Zagreus says as much, “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to avoid the question.” He unbuckles Thanatos’ belt and tosses it somewhere in the front seat. “But, to answer your question, yes.”

“You do realize that we could be picked up for indecent exposure, right?” Not that that stops him from wrapping Zagreus’ tie around his fingers and dragging him down so that they’re nose to nose, “And after Mr. Pelides went to such lengths to help you tie a tie, as well.”

“How do you know that he helped me?” He pouts.

“Because you’re utterly hopeless when it comes to formal wear.” Thanatos says, a little smug. “It’s one of the many things that I love about you.” He adds, to help soothe a bit of the sting.

Zagreus flashes him a toothy grin. He always gets a bit dopey when Thanatos tells him that he loves him. It’s not that it happens infrequently (though it _is_ rather odd for him to come right out and say the words), it’s just… He knows that Thanatos does not take a declaration like that lightly. He is one-hundred percent earnest whenever he talks about his feelings, even if he is saying something that Zagreus does not necessarily want to hear. And though that bluntness can hurt at times… he’s come to appreciate it as the mark of trust and affection that it is.

The good, the bad, the ugly… Thanatos wants to share all of that with him.

And Zagreus wants to share all that he is with Thanatos, in return.

His excitement makes him clumsy. While he manages the button on Thanatos’ slacks just fine, the zipper catches and refuses to budge. His hands shake as he becomes more and more frantic to yank the zipper down that final inch and a half—until finally, Than’s hands close over his own and guide him down, nice and slow.

“Thanks,” he squeezes Thanatos’ hands softly, before releasing them in favor of tugging his slacks (and boxer briefs) down over the generous curve of his ass, before reaching for—

“Do I even want to know _why_ there’s lube and four… five… _six_ condoms stored in the console of my car?” A delicate flush stains Thanatos’ dark cheeks as Zagreus tears the little foil packet open with his teeth and deftly rolls the condom down Thanatos’ straining cock.

“Shh,” Zagreus soothes, as he drags his hands along the insides of Thanatos’ thighs. Then, he pops the cap on the lube and pours far too much on his fingers, causing some to drip on Thanatos’ pants.

And Thanatos _would_ complain, except—” _God_ …”

Zagreus’ hand disappears between his thighs as he works himself open, quick and dirty. They _really_ don’t have enough time to take this as slowly as they both might prefer—it is still light enough outside that anyone who stumbles across Thanatos’ car will have no doubt as to what is transpiring within (and it will be _really_ bad for Thanatos if he gets brought in for indecent exposure). Not to mention the fact that Thanatos is freakishly tall, and thus unable to lay comfortably in the backseat with the door closed. So Zagreus is there, perched atop Thanatos’ lap, three fingers deep in his own ass and practically _drooling_ from pleasure, giving a free show to any random Joe who happens to be in the strip mall parking lot at this hour…

…Should the very idea of being caught like this by— _anyone, really_ —be so _hot_? He doesn’t know.

He thinks it might ruin the moment to ask Thanatos about it now.

When he deems himself prepared, he reaches for Thanatos’ cock and lines the tip up with his entrance. The fat head glides over his puckered hole, gathering up a bit of lube before… Zagreus sinks down slowly, his cock giving a happy little _jolt_ at the feel of Thanatos’ length spearing him open once again.

It takes Thanatos a moment to be able to form a coherent thought, let alone to be able to put that thought to speech. But when he does, the first thing he asks is, “A-Are you… _hgn_ … okay?”

Zagreus sucks in a deep breath as the head of Thanatos’ cock brushes past his prostate, “N-Never… _oh fuck_ … Never been better—”

* * *

Achilles has just finished locking the front door to the gym, when he notices a familiar car still in the parking lot. He frowns, reaching into his pocket for his phone to see if there were any missed notifications from Zagreus. There’s nothing. What could have happened to make them miss their reservation like this? Zagreus had been so proud of himself for booking it, too… He’s just about to head over to the car to see if they’re in need of assistance, when he notices that the vehicle appears to be… _rocking_.

“God, yes! Fuck me!” Was that… the _lad_? Achilles’ entire face turns _chartreuse_.

“They couldn’t even wait until they were at home? Really?” Achilles fumbles and nearly drops his keys. “I… no. Just no. Not today.” Then he turns around, unlocks the front door, and walks right back inside.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on twitter [@MsThunderFrost](https://twitter.com/MsThunderFrost)


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